Galaxies
by daphrose
Summary: "Picture us, there, all by ourselves, under the stars." - "I see it . . . I can see it, Leo!" - "Keep it up." They swayed under the galaxy of stars, the ones that only she saw, and the ones that he began to see with her.


**Whew, been a while, eh? I've got a good reason. My main project right now is called Mind Games, and I want to write all of it before posting. Currently it's at 16,000 words and nine chapters (or twenty-seven, depending on how you want to look at it; you'll see what I mean). It's probably about halfway done, and I'm hoping it won't be too long before it's up.**

 **But for now, enjoy this adorable one-shot I thought up as I wrote it. XD I really wanted to do a Valentine's thingy (Happy Valentine's Day, readers!), and I knew I wanted to do it with Taylor and Leo. Well, I made myself write something, and more ideas came than I thought. Yay!**

 **I searched long and hard for a good song to use as inspiration, and the one I wound up using is not a romance song, but a good song nonetheless. It's called "Galaxy" by Nine Lashes, and it definitely inspired this story, especially the second half. Check it out!**

 **I guess this story takes place after On the Edge but before The Vanishing. Taylor's blind, but the students aren't fully trained, and Bree and Chase are still there.**

 **Tayleo story. :3 I ship them so much right now. I don't own the two of them, Sweethearts, or anything else from Lab Rats. Enjoy!**

* * *

 *** * * Galaxies * * ***

* * *

"A little higher," Bree said, motioning up. "No, no, not like that! Ugh, no, yes! Yes, that's it. Keep it there. Fantastic."

"Is this really necessary?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, we all have to go. Why put up a banner?"

"Hey, Davenport put me in charge of this thing, so I want to make sure it's the best Valentine's dance ever."

"Is this about that homecoming dance that got ruined a few years ago?"

Bree's face soured. "Maybe. There's no Owen here, and if you, Adam, or Chase mess _anything_ up, I'm tossing you out to the sharks."

Leo started to laugh, but his sister's expressionless demeanor gave him pause. "Fine. But if you get pulverized by a vengeful ghost—or Perry—that's on you."

Bree rolled her eyes and walked into the training room, shouting orders like a martinet at the other students. Leo laughed and headed to his final class of the day, ready to teach something normal to the blank-slate bionics.

"Hey guys," he said as he entered the classroom. A dozen gazes met his eyes and he smirked at little at the extent of his power as a teacher. They _had_ to listen to him in here. "Today we're going to learn about Valentine's Day."

"Good," Logan groaned. "Because Bree's been talking about it for days and I still have no idea what it is."

"There's probably some interesting history behind it," Leo said, "but I wouldn't know much about. Besides, who cares about the history? I'm trying to help you guys out in the real world.

"Valentine's Day is the most romantic holiday of the year. People give out chocolates and flowers and cards to each other to show love. Couples go out for romantic dinners and single people binge on candy and hang out with friends." His face fell a little when he remembered that he would be one of those single people this year.

"We're all related," a student named Sunny pointed out.

"You are?" Leo cocked his head. "You sure don't look it."

"Even if we're not, we think of each other as siblings," Blaine said.

"And we don't know anyone else," Erica muttered.

"Well," Leo said, trying to figure out to save the "how-to-be-a-normal-person" lesson. "You don't have to be in a relationship to enjoy Valentine's Day. In fact, as a lot of you know, Bree's setting up a dance on the fourteenth for all of us. You don't have to have a date to enjoy that."

This perked the students up. Leo went over some of the details of the dance before reaching into a box he'd set on the desk earlier that day. "My mom sent something for you all to enjoy. Candy's got to be one of the best parts of this holiday."

He pulled out several boxes of Sweethearts and began passing them out among the students. "They've got sweet little sayings, but even better, they taste delicious. February is the only time of year to get them fresh," he added under his breath.

The students took them with glee and pored over their treats, reading the phrases aloud. Taylor opened hers and immediately threw them into her mouth. She must've felt Leo looking at her, because she mumbled, "What? It's not like I can read them."

She meant it as a sort of joke, but that didn't stop him from feeling a pang of guilt. He slid over and said, "Don't worry; most of the phrases are unreadable anyway."

"No kidding," Logan said. "Look, this one says 'Yo roc.' And I can't even tell what this one's supposed to say!"

"How do they taste?" Leo hoped that Taylor could enjoy them regardless.

Her lips puckered. "That one was pretty sour. But I like them! Thanks, Leo."

Leo grinned and stood up again. He dismissed the class after giving them a few more expectations for the weekend. As everyone else left, he approached his team and asked, "Do you guys want to do some extra training this afternoon?"

They both agreed and headed out into the training area. Bree had decorated most of the walls, but there was still enough room to get some work done. So long as the "Dance Dictator"—as Logan called her—didn't show up, they would be fine. Now Leo only hoped the pink and red hearts wouldn't distract his team.

"Are you guys excited for the dance?" Leo asked as Taylor took out her fury on a dummy.

"I can't wait!" Logan said. "Don't they do this kind of thing at normal schools? And Adam said he would show me how to do 'The Refrigerator.' I guess it's a kind of dance."

Leo clapped a hand over his mouth. He couldn't believe Adam remembered that! "Yeah, it's pretty fantastic. You'll have to show us your new moves." He turned to his other friend. "What about you, Taylor?"

"I'm not going." She stated it as a fact, without dismay or anger.

"What? Why not?"

She shrugged. "What's the point?"

"Taylor . . . there's a lot more to it than just looking at stuff."

"Yeah, I know. But it seems kinda silly to me. Just dancing around and eating and drinking and talking? No thanks."

"Isn't that basically what we do every day here?" Logan asked, staring off into the distance.

Taylor sighed. "It's just not interesting to me."

"Hey, if I can go as a single man, you can go as a single lady."

"That's not it, Leo. It just doesn't sound fun."

Leo shrugged. Taylor could be stubborn, but he sure wished she'd reconsider. Things wouldn't be the same without her there.

In all honesty, part of him didn't want to go either. A dance on the most romantic day of the year only reminded him that he didn't have a significant other to share it with. It had been months since his break-up with Janelle—and yet, he never felt terribly upset. Things had certainly gotten better once he met—

"Leo, can we be done?" Taylor sighed. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah, and I promised Bob I'd help him and Adam with some kind of experiment in the kitchen," Logan added.

"Sure, I think we're good. Nice training today, guys."

Logan grinned and sprinted away, but Taylor took her time collecting herself. Leo saw that as his opportunity.

"Hey, you doing all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied with a tight-lipped grin.

"Are you sure? You've been acting . . . I don't know, stiff."

"Sorry. I've just . . . I don't really know how to explain it. It's like . . ." She paused, looking at him as if asking permission to continue.

Leo put a hand on her arm and they sat down on the ledge. "Go on."

"It's like all these feelings are a big knot tied in my stomach," she sighed. "And I don't know how to unravel them all. I guess . . . it's finally starting to hit me that I'll never see again."

"Taylor, I'm so—"

"Don't apologize again. I don't blame you at all, Leo. I don't want you to feel bad."

"And I don't want to hurt you more."

"You won't, and you haven't. I'm trying to work out all these feelings myself. And . . . all this week people have been talking about _looking_ nice for the dance, and how good Bree's decorations are and . . . I think you see my problem here." She folded her hands under her chin. "I don't want to sit around and feel sorry for myself, either, but I don't think I can handle going to that dance. Sorry, Leo."

"I get it. Don't stress."

"Thanks for understanding." Taylor stood up. "I'm thinking I should go make sure Logan doesn't make himself sick; I know _he_ was looking forward to the dance." They laughed together before she left for the kitchen.

Leo stood and pursed his lips. Bree came in at that moment, texting away on her phone while shouting orders at the poor students by her side. She glanced up and spotted her brother. "Hey, Leo, guess what?" she said. "I invited some of my old friends from Mission Creek High, and they said they could come to the dance!"

"You had friends in high school?"

Bree's smile morphed into a frown accompanied by a glare. "Yes. Why is that so shocking to everybody? But anyway, they said they might invite a few more friends with them. I'm thinking this will be a great opportunity for the students to meet some more—no, no, the balloon bouquet goes over there! That's where the refreshments table will go!"

"Hey, Bree?" Leo grabbed his sister's arm before she could take off again.

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you something, but it might involve changing up what you had planned for the dance."

"Then the answer is _absolutely not_."

"Please, Bree?"

"I've worked really hard on this, Leo. I'm not changing it now."

"Just hear me out. I think this might really help someone."

* * *

Leo walked into the capsule dorms to see Taylor sitting at a couch in the corner, her hands running over the pages of a book. She'd laboriously learned braille, and now she couldn't get enough of the worlds that unfolded at her fingertips.

"Hey," she said as he walked up, obviously unsure of who she was speaking with.

"It's Leo," he said. "And I came to check on you."

"Shouldn't you be at the dance?"

"One of Bree's friends started flirting with Chase, and it got real awkward real fast. Then Logan did The Refrigerator—which I think Chase was grateful for."

Taylor laughed. "Wish I could've been there to see it!" The look on her face showed regret as soon as those words slipped out of her mouth.

"I really think you should reconsider."

"Leo . . ."

"At least for a few minutes."

"I just got to the good part."

"Come on. Hang out for a couple minutes and then you can get back to your book. Please? For me?"

She laughed. "You're impossible."

"You think that's an accident?"

"Fine; let's go."

"Wait, wait, you can't go dressed like that."

"Are you serious?"

"Get in your capsule. I'll find you something to wear."

"I feel like I'm going to regret this."

"Just get in."

Taylor sighed and walked over to her capsule. Leo slid through the options on the control panel and found the perfect outfit. The rings ran up and down the tube, leaving a girl in a black dress with her hair down and held back by a silver headband.

"You look great," Leo said as she walked out.

"I'll take your word for it." She ran her hand through her hair and across the belt on her waist. She moved side-to-side, letting the dress swish around her ankles. "It feels nice."

"Come on, m'lady." Leo took her arm and walked her to the training room. He paused for a moment before they walked in, smiling at her and her beauty.

The second they entered the room, they were met by the delicious smell of rose petals. The air felt warmer than usual, and the students dancing together surely created the perfect match of vibrations for Taylor to catch. Beautiful music came through the speakers, going straight through them. Something for every sense—besides sight.

"The room is completely dark," Leo said, grabbing Taylor's hands and taking her to the center of the crowd. "No one in here can see a thing."

"Leo . . ."

"May I have this dance?"

She grabbed his hands, and he could feel her smile. The music picked up, and together they swirled around the room. Despite never having any sort of dance lessons, Taylor moved perfectly in-tune with the music, fluid as a ballerina.

"You're a natural," Leo said with a grin.

"This is me every day. I have to double-check my surroundings all the time to make sure I don't bump into anything."

"And somehow that translates to good dancer. Hmm, maybe I should go blind."

Taylor laughed, which made him feel better. He didn't want to offend her, but then again, she'd been the one most accepting of what had happened. Up until recently, of course. That was one of the reasons Leo convinced Bree to do a "lights-out" dance and amp up everything else that Taylor could appreciate. Leo knew that his friend could and should find a way to enjoy herself again.

Friend—something about that word seemed wrong.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Taylor," he said.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Leo," she answered. "You know, maybe this holiday isn't as stupid as I thought."

"You thought it was stupid?"

"A little. Maybe it's because I didn't really get what it means to love someone, but now . . ." She trailed off, and he could feel her hands get clammy under his.

"Hey, I get it. And I agree."

"You do? About what part?"

The music picked up, and they swirled effortlessly through the crowd. While others stumbled a little in the dark, occasionally bumping into other dancers, Taylor led Leo with grace and ease.

The song playing was by no means a romantic song—something more along the lines of pop, but Leo thought it was perfect. When he heard the word "galaxy" used, his smile grew even wider.

"Do you remember what stars look like?" he asked his partner.

She cocked her head. "Sure. In fact . . ."

"What?"

"They're the first thing I saw when I woke up. You know, after the Triton App. I woke up in this weird field, and I remember staring up at the stars. There were so many, all out there in the middle of nowhere. They were calm and peaceful and . . . I loved them."

"Think about them. Picture us, there, all by ourselves, under the stars."

"I see it . . . I can see it, Leo!"

"Keep it up."

They swayed under the galaxy of stars, the ones that only she saw, and the ones that he began to see with her.

"Funny how we got here," Taylor said after a few seconds. "After everything we've been through, and now . . . now I think . . . I think . . . Leo, my feelings are mixed up about more than just my eyes."

"Good; that means I'm not alone."

The song slowed a little as it neared its end, and Taylor must've felt Leo leaning in, because she came forward to meet him.

They leaned in in the dark. They leaned in underneath the invisible galaxies. They leaned in on the most romantic day of the year.

Unbeknownst to the other dancers, in the middle of them all stood a couple detached from the training room. The couple only knew each other and the stars as they kissed for the first time.

* * *

 **Yay, super-cheesy ending! :D Admit it; you smiled. Yeah, you awwed. You loved it, didn't you? Unless you hate Tayleo, in which case, you probably shouldn't have read this. XD And unless you hate me, in which case, you shouldn't have read it either. XD**

 **And hey, if you're a single person reading fanfiction on Valentine's Day, congrats, because I'm a single person** ** _writing_** **fanfiction on Valentine's Day. XD This is the one day of the year I'm all right with super-chessiness. Sometimes. Bleh. My thoughts are all over the place right now.**

 **I apologize if that wasn't the greatest. Again, my thoughts are all over the place, and I'm having a hard time collecting them to form something coherent. XD**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, and please review! Where all my single people at? Where all the Tayleo shippers at? Drop me a review, tell me what you thought about my writing and this shipping. And the dance. And the references. There were quite a few in there. XD**

 **Just realized this is my eightieth story. What what?! How'd that happen? :D**

 **Happy Valentine's Day, love bugs! And if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat cupcakes with my family. ;) Love you all!**

 **~ Rosie**


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